Means for loading and unloading coal and other minerals.



MEANS FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING GOAL AND HAPPLIOLATIQN FILED MAY 26,1905.

7 SHEETS-SHEET l.

ffiijn ess as.

I Inky/62 227. .94 K r MBANS FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING COAL AAPPLICATION FILED MAY 26. 1905.

ND OTHER MINERALS.

PATENTED FEB. 26, 1 907. O. BURNETT.

'7 sanms-kggm 2.

No. 845217. P TE T 1) GI UR ET A, N E FEB 26, 190/ MEANS FOR LOADING ANDU 1 I vsnnmwsnmra.

W 2 b 2-5::-E=E=====EM m =====sm====s= w M== U PATENTED FEB. 26; 1907.

0. BURNETT. MEANS FOR LOADING AND U NLOADING GOAL AND OTHER MINERALS.v

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26, 1905.

7 SHEBTS-BHEET 4..

PATENTED FEB. 26, 1907 O. BURNETT. MEANS FORLOADING AND U NLOADING GOALAND OTHER MINERALS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26. 1905.

' 7 SHEETS-SHEET 5 No, 845,217. PATENTBD FEB. 26, 1907.

\\ '0. BURNETT.

MEANS FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING GOAL AND OTHER MINERALS.

APPLICATION FILED KAY 26. 1905.

7 SHEET8-BKEET 6.

0. BURNETT. MEANS FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING COAL AND OTHER MINERALS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26. 1905.

PATENTED FEB. 26, 1907.

v SHEETS-SHEET 7.

WWW

' from the tubs onto or over screens and cleancenveyer for transport toscreens and cleanl accomplish bythe employment of elevators cluded inthe loading and unloading of the having two or more decks.

of the mine-shaft. Fig. 2 is a detail view.

8 is a plan, and lig. 9 an end elevationmf an- 'nnrrnn srarns arana{Whittle CUTHBERT BURNETT, or DURHAM, ENGLAND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

latented Feb. 26, 1907.

Ap ilicntion film May 26,1905. Serial No. 262,448.

Be it known that 1-, Cn'rnnnn'r BURNETT, a l subject of the King ofGreat Britain, residing at Belmont House, Durham, in the county ofDurham, England, engineer, have invented a new and useful Improvement inMeans for Loading and Unloading Coal and other Minerals, of Which thefollowing is a specification.

This system of loading and unloading and tipping mined coal and otherminerals con stitutes a great saving in cost for labor, the apparatus inits leading forms being almostentirely automatic. it com arises meansfor the emptying and. loading oi the cage of the tubs carried therein atthe bottom of the shaft and for unloading and tipping the coal ing-beltsclose by, or carried in the tubs to a distance or direct into trucks orWagons, or discharging the coal i'rom the tubs onto a ing-belts situatedat a distance. It is applicable for mine-shaft cages with one or moredecks, with one or more tubs on each deck.

By my invention the various operations in- V mine-cages aresimultaneously and almost automatically performed while the transportingof the tubs to and from the usualtipplers on. the surface is in theselfcontai ned arrangements entirely dispensed with. This.

or their equivalent, my arrangement being specially applicable in thecase of nnne cages In the-accompanying drawings, wherein my invention isillustrated .ligure 1 is a plan, Fig. 2 side elevation, Fig. 3 end ele-.vation, of the arrangement at the bottom Fig. 4 is a side elevation,rig. 5 a plan, and Fig. 6 an end elevation, of the arrangement at thepit top. Fig.7 is a plan of a modified arrangement at the pit top. i lig.

other arrangement at the pit top. I ig. 10 is an elevation of yetanother arrangement at the pittop, Fig. 11 is a plan showing a Big. 7. 4a .1 11 he form of arrangement illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 Iprovide at the bottomof the 1nine-shaft a two' elevators .side by side,

side of the mine shaft. Each elevator consists of an endless bandc,-which passes over a top drum b and over a bottom drum 6, and isprovided with equidistant frames or cages each having a top member cl,provided. 1th rails d, and a bottom member d, also provided with railsd, (in Fig. 2 only shown in the empty cages .toavoid contusion) theserails facing each other. Upon the rails e) for the time being are bottomrails rest tubs e, those on one side of theelevaters, each outer side inthis example, being at atiine empty and those on the other side, eachinner side inv this example, full of coal or other mineral. Themine-shaft cage working up and down in the shalt alnight be with, say,Your decks or tiers, and the number of tides in a horizontal position oneach side of an elevator would correspond thereto. The elevators are bypreference and as shown in Fig. 1 fixed at a no less distance than thatoi one tub between the mine hoist-cages and the elevators" AWeigh-bridge i'or weighing the coals 18 shown at j X i ram-may bearranged to operates frame hav-' with the axes of their drums Z)parallel, on one On each deck of the mine-shaft cage and of The ing therequired number of pushers for siin ultan'eously pushing the foremostfull tubs onto each deck of the inine-cage, and thereby pushing theempty tubs out of the cage and onto the roads ff, or the full tubsmay-run off by gravity on inclined or tilted rails. 'lhe 'elevatjrs mayhe propelled by power; but it worked by man the loading or full-tub roadf is atal'iigher level than that of the roof empty-tub road f,so t1)give preponderance of weight on the full side of the elevator asagalnstthe empty-tub sidej By the. st re I said :rrangementuninterruptedaccess is ohtained to the elevators for loading them with the full tubsand t.) the mine-cage for simultaneously loading it in all decks.

In order to make the empty-tubs run round the mine-shaft by gravity, theaforesaid rail-tracksf are, as shown in Fig. 2, laid with surlicientfall, and I make thisto correspond with the height of one of the framesor cages at d'of the elevators. The empty tubs so returned to theelevators are by the latter raised again to the necessary height andreleased and quickly run oil the elevator to the empty siding f forbeing returned to the various parts of the mine in order to be reloaded.The elevators are by preference Worked intermittently by any suitablewell-known means, the tubs beingtaken off and put on during the shortintervals. Usual stops or keps t, Fig. 2 (employed heretofore inconnection with mine-cages,) with working levers 'w' and tJnnecting-rod0:, are provided in connection with the intermittently-operatedelevators, the keps 1) then supporting the frames d which are beingunloaded. The keps are then again withdrawn. under the bottoms of thedecks of the elevators and are arranged as shown in Fig. '2. When twofull tubs are pushed in, the keps are, by meansof the lever W, moved outof the way. When the elevator then moves down, the keps fallautomatically under the bottom of the next deck, and so on. 'As theelevator is moved one deck down on one side it is moved one deck up onthe other side, where two empty tubs roll out of the elevator and runalong the track f back again into the mines. The full tubs, are in theusual manner drawn toward the mine-shaft by means of Winding-machinesand ropes or chains; but when near the shaft they run down a slopingtrack of themselves against a stop, which at the right moment isreleased by the attendant, so that the tub or tubs run into theelevator. This latter is then lowered one deck, and the attendant or hishelper then brings along the tubs for the next deck of the elevator, andso on until the elevator has been loaded for the next mine-shaft cage.he full tubs are then on the arrival of the cage rolled into it. Thetrack f for the empty tubs to run back on into the mine is, as shown in-Fig. 3, lower down than the trackf' for the full tubs. tubs leave theelevator, a stop is provi ed. When this is released, the tubs run outand run (.lJ'WT! int.) the mine, where they then are drawn t) thecharging-place by the'windingmachine ropes.

For unloading the mine hoist-cages and tipping the tubs at the pit top Iuse two elevators, as shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, consist ing, asdescribed with reference to Figs. I, 2, and 3, of endless chains 0,to'which are attached a number of decks (Z, agreeing with These keps 1)take Where the em ty those of the mine hoist-cage, and I provide inconnection therewith what 1 call two "towe1s 10, each consisting of anydesired number of tiers or stages to correspond with those of the minehoist-cages. The towers are mounted on wheels 11 and are opposite toeach other,

as shown in Fig. 5, and run on a circular track 12, upon which they canbe simultaneously carried along, being mounted on a ring or similarcircular plattorm or wheelbase 13. For the purpose of rotating thewheel-base 13 along with the towers thereon I provide it with a circulartoothed rack 14, into which gears a suitable pinion 15, the latter to bedriven, for instance,: as here shown, by bevel-wheels 16, pulley 17, andendless chain 18 from winding-engine.

The towers 10 are adapted to receive tubs on their decks or stages.While the ring-platform 12, Figs. 4, 5, and 6, and the towers 10 arestationary the elevators are also stationary. llydraulic (or other)pushers may be employed, as shown in l igs. 5 and 6, for pushing theemptied or teemed tubs into the mine hoist-cage and enter'them into theelevators. I provide at the bottom or each elevator a chamber 1.9,having a slanting chuteoutlet for emptying the coal onto usual screens20, and cleaning-belts 21, with (or without) usual conveyers 22, alloperated in i the ordinary Well-known manner, or direct into trucks orwagons. Weighinganachines 23 may be provided below the chutes.Flapvalves or by-passes 25 are or may be applied for directing the coalto one or other screen, according to the quality of the coal. Theseelevators serve also as tippl'ers.

The whole apparatus may be driven from the winding-engine, as alreadyexplained, or from a separate engine; but in either case theintermittent travel of the towers is by preference in the samedirection. When the apparatus is worked from the winding-engine, thetime occupied in performing the necessary travel of the elevators willpreferably be so regulated as to coincide with the half-revolution ofthe towers, both being affected a little earlier than the wind, so as tobe ready for the change of tubs by the completion of each wind. Thetowers and elevators may alternatively be worked by electric or othermotors.

. I prefer, as shown in Figs. 4, 5, and G, to fix the elevators at a noless distance than that of one tub between the inine hoist-cage and theelevators, at which point I may arrange one or more weigh-bridges, asindicated by the two dotted circles 26, Fig. 5.

For the purpose of holding the tubs in position in the several cages andelevators I ma ploy the usual stops and releasing-gcar. The elevatorsare placed a little" way from the mine-shalt, first, because of thecoal-dust arising from the emptying, and which dust should not fall downthe shaft, but be caught I ion a bottom plate, and, secondly, in'ordcrto provide a weigh-bridge at that place. It is "still better tokeep the elevator at adistance and an additional set of elevators. Eachof the two mine hoist wages (marked, respectively, 1 and 2) contains oneach deck two rows of tubs, three in eachrow; The tubs in one cage aremarked lfi,be1ng empty, and the tubs in the other cage are marked lbeing full. .Two elevators 3 and 4, spaced some distance apart, so as tomake room betweonthcn'i. for the tubs from the mine-shal' t to theelevators 5 and 6, and vice versa, are provided on. one

side of the. mine-shaft and two further cle- Voters 5 and ('5 placedclose together. The towers 1U are mounted on'sinall bogies, which run-onthe track 27.

For the discharge of the coal and instead of special so-called tipplersi. use the eleva action is of great importance, not only because it doesaway with. the ordinary large and expensive tippcr, which requiresconsidoruble power to work, but also because the coal falls 5'aduallvand quietly from the elevator and is not broken into pieces,thercb producing dilst, the result being an article-of conunercc havinga much greater value per ton. The elevators are by preferhnce worked insuch manner as not to empty thoirsclves simultaneously, so that only oneattendant is required.

For the purpose 0i stacking the coal or debris, in case of slackness oftrade or other on crgency', and for thepurpose of dealing with foreignmaterial 1 provide suitable tramwa: s leading from the mineshaft at thetop to such points or places as it may be desired to deliver thematerial to and arrange for either the towers or the elevators, or both,to remain stationary when coals are not to be screened and also forchanging the men.

The modus operandi of the apparatrs is'as follows: The two towers whenin'positionfor the change of tubs to be ell'ected are opposite to eachother and in line with each cage altor natcly on each wind .or run ofthe winding engine. The tower on the deliver. side is charged with emptytubs, which by means of the rams and pusher-s are forced into the-0C11(lil1 9;1 full mine hoist-cage.

laden cages, thus forcing the full tubs to one of" the elevators and theempty tubs from the elevator to the empty tower. ()n the next wind .thetowers mutually change positions, that containing the empty tubs beingbrought to position opposite the other as- The other ram. and pusher-sare then brought into action, forcing; the full tubs to thesccondelevator and the empty tubs to the tower, this round ofoperations. continuing to be repeated at each successive wind.Simultaneously with the semirotalion of the towers the elevators lowerthe full tubs and discharge their contents, acting as tipplcrs, into thechamber 19, with curved chute below, and returnthe em )ty tubs at thenext wind. This applies to 0th elevators. The clevatorsare only providedwith the necessary platforms for 'one cage-load of tubs but oiviouslf,any

{greater number might be employed.

In Fig. 7 is shown part of an elliptic or flat toned. circle truck.which is applicable where, on account of space, a large circle track isiuadinissible; but this arrangement also oilers the advantage that itrequires a smaller number of tubs in use. This will be understood byreference to Fig. 5, where at its upper part two rows of tube are shownandat its lower part two rows, each containing two tubs, be tween thetower 10 and the elevator, between the latter and mine-shaft cage, andbetween the latter and the tower-that is to say, eight tubs in all; butin Fig. 7 these eight tubs are not found at all. and the towers arebrought as near to each other as possible. The towers may suitably-bemoved by an endless chain which passes around guide-rolls arranged insuitablo'placcs.

l ig. 11 shows one mode of working the towers on the ellipticaltracks-via, by an endless chain guided by suitabl .'-distributed rollers60. The towers, mounted on bogies running on the track, are attached tothe chain 57 by drag-links (i1. The chain is there shown as passinground a pulley 62, which by bevel-wheels 63 64 and spur-wheels 65 66 isdriven from the crank-shaft 67 of a winding-engine with usualwinding-drum 68 for working the mine-shaft cage up and down 1n theunne-shaft. Q

By another arrangement shown in the plan Fig.8 and elevation Fig. 9 Iemploy two addi- I Thefour elevators arearrang'ed in pairs, one

pair side by side with their axes parallel on one side of theminc-sl1aft and the other pair similarly on the other side of themine-shaft. Looked at in plan I may call the upper left one No 1 and itsright-hand neighbor No. 2,

and the lower left one No 3 and the rightliand neighbor X0. .4.llydraulic rain or other pushers, as previously described, are providedagainst the inner or ad omm sides of (.levators Nos. 1 and 2 and againstthe ad joining sides of theelevators Nos. 3 and 4. Supposing the emptytubs 0n elevator N0. 3 are standing ready to be pushed into themine-hoist-cagc and the lull tubs delivered from the cage into theelevator No. 1, then this latter will on the next wind of the enginecommence to lower the tubs and'gradually team the coal. For weighing thecoal in this arrangement I prefer to deliver the coal into the scoop orpan of the weighing-machine. There may be one for each elevator or foreach pair of elevators. Elevator No. 3 will remain. stationary until thereturn of the mine-cage with its full load of tubs. The empty tubs willbe pushed into the mine-cage and the full tubs delivered into theelevator N o. The elevator now commences to discharge or tipple thecoals from the tubs in the manner already described with reference toFig. 4. 1 Elevator No. 1 remains idle until the return of the full cage,whereupon the empty tubs, having come into position, will be deliveredinto the mine-cage, while the full tubs are delivered to elevator No. 3,and this round of operationswill continue to be-repeated. \Yhat has beendescribed with reference to elevators Nos. 1 and 3 applies also toelevators Nos."2 and 4.

I may arrange for the elevators to work in one direction, as would bethe case if the plant were worked by a separate engine, or alternatelyin opposite directions it worked by the winding-engine The arrangementmay be quite automatic, as shown in Fig. 10, where the mine-shaft cagesactuate two hydraulic pushers, which coact with stop devices. The levers28 are depressed when the cage is let down on the stops or kcps o. Thespindle ol' the lever 28 carries a lever 30, which by rod 31, lever 32,rod 33, lever 34, and rod 35 is connected with a crank-shaft 36, whichby rod 37 and lever 38 SOivcs to move the valves 39 and 4'.) for inletof hydraulic pressure to the piston 41 42. The outlet-valves 44 45 areworked from the crank-disk so by rods 4(3 47 and levers 4.8 49. Thepiston H 41 is connected to a frame mounted on wheels 51. which run on atrack 52. The 'piston is atthe end all of larger diameter for changingthe tubs while the )ressure on the annular surface between 41 and 42moves the piston toward the right. .In the position shown the mine-shaftcage has arrived below and rests (in the keps r, the inlet-valve -10 andthe outlet-valve 45 being open. The piston will now push l he lull tubsinto the mine-cage and push the empty tubs 'l'roni the elevator into thetower. The balance-weight 50ra1ses the lever 28 again and changes theposition of the l l l l l valves, so that the pistonis drawn back in or-6 5 the mine-shaft cage-hoist worked therein for.

conveying tubs filled with coal from the mine up to the surface andempty tubs from the surface down to the mine, ofelevators eachconsisting of an endless periodically-moved member, a top drum and abottom drum, carryine said member, equidistant cages on said memberfitted with rails for receiving wheeled tubs, means for periodicallymoving the elevators, and means for pushing the tubs from the mine-hoistinto the elevator-cages or vice versa, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with-a mine-shaftand the cage-hoist worked therein forconveying tubs filled from the mine to the surface, of two elevatorsarranged at the. bottom of the mine-shaft side by side, on one side ofthe mine cage-hoist, each elevator consisting of an endlessperiorlically-moved member, a. top drum and abottom drum carrying saidmember, equidistant cages on said member fitted with rails for receivingwheeled tubs thereon, means for periodically moving, the elevators,means for pushing the lilled tubs into the elevator-cages and thenceinto the mine cagehoist, and simultaneously pushing the empty tubs outof the latter, and sloping roadtracks for conveying by gravity the tubsfrom and to the elevators and from and into the 'Jnino, substantially asset forth.

3. In combination with a mine-shalt and the cage-hoist therein forconveying tubs lillcd from the mine to the surface, each cage having aplurality of decks and rail-tracks on each deck for wheeled. tubs,'oltwo elevators arranged at the bottom of the mine-shalt side by sideonone side of the mine-shall, a periodically-moved endless band,equidistant cages on the vertical side parts of the band, a top drum anda bottom drum carrying said band. rail-tracks on each deck correspondingin number and position with the rail-tracks on each mine hoist-cage,means for periodically moving the elevators, means for pushing thelillcdtubs simultaneously from allthe cages on one side of the elevatorsinto correspondng decks of a mine. hoist-cage thereby pushing out theempty tubs therein contained, and sloping road-tracks for conveying bygravity the tubs from and to the elevators set forth. 4. In combinationwith a mine-shaft and each mine-shaft cage, two tow 4o at the towers,said means being setin operathe cage-hoist therein plurality of decksand the vertical side arts 0 V t and-from and into the mine,-substantially as the cage-hoist therein; of twoleletators arranged atthe surface of I the mine-shaft 'side' byside on one side of then1inesha1 't,each elevator consisting of an endless periodically- Imoved hand, a top drum andahottom drum carrying said hand, equidistantcages on the latter, rails on said cages receiving wheeled tubs thereon,two towers placed-opposite each other, wheels supportingthetowers,railed tracks on said towers to .hold-tuhsto hemoved to cxchangepl-aceson "two opposite sides of the mine-shalt, means for periodicallyinovmgthe elevators'and' thetowers,

means i or pushing empty tubsfi'onrone of um towers intothe-minefhoistscages and thcrvhy pushing the filled tubs Irorri-thelat-(or (ages into the cages ofohe of the elevaiors while alsopushing'the-empty tubs from the latter into oneof the towers, means forpi-rioilicall} moving the towers .intoopposite p sit ions, and chamberswith chute-outlets below the elevators into-which tl1e contents of theelevator-cages are e l substantially as set-forth 5. In combination;with deck for wheeled tubs, endless bands arranged at th mine-shaft,atop drum carrying said bands,-'"e qn 1 :is there are dec'js lin it hrail-tracks .on each d0k number and position withi the I r posite eachother, heassnpg towers, 'a rail-track on'two'jopppsi v the mine-shaft,said towers constructedlfwith as many decks with'railed w as i are decksin each mine hoist-c periodically moving the elevators, -andthej 1 ,vtowers, incansfor j empty tubs from one-0f the-towers-mto thefi'v Irminehoistcages and thereb ashing the. filled tubs from the. lattercages', i iito, the

cages 'oi' one'of the, elevatorswhildalsoQpnshing the empty tubs fromthe latterfmtdone tion by'them ove-inent of the ininehpistcage, meansfor periodically moving the towers into opposite positions, and chamberswith ehute-outlets'helow the elevatorslnto which the contents of theelevator-cages'are emptied or tipp led, substantially asset forth.

6. Incornhination with -a mine-shaft and-= the cake-hoist therein, oftw'opairs of e'leva tors arranged at the surface of the mineshaft, onepair on one side and the otherpairon the opposite side of themine-shaft, each elevator consisting of an' endless periodioally-movedband or chain, a top drum and a bottom drum for said hand,- equidistantcages: on said band-rails on the cages for receiving-wheeled tubsthereon, means for periodically movin -the elevators, means for pushingemptytugs from an elevator into the mine hOlSfi-Ciig and thereby pushingthe full tubs fromithe 'latterjcages into the cages of angoppos'iteelevator while also pushin the empty tubs out "from the latter, an

chambers -with'chu'te-outlets below .the eletor-cages are emptied ortippled, substantially as set forth.

7,. In combination. with, a mine-shaft and the cage-jhoist workedtherein, of two elevators. arraned atthe ."surface of the mincagehoist,eac'h elevator consisting of an topdrumand a bottoni druin'over whichsaid band passes, equidistant cages on said tubsthere'on, two wheeledtowers placedcpposite'each other, :railed'tracks on the towers .t jholdt'hs'g nd; moved on-a'rail-traek tfitubsgfromone iOf1 the towers; meansages are emptied or ,setforth.

arnine-snaft and on one side of 1 the mine ovedband .or c sin, a to vlitbliil drum over' w'hichsai band qnidistant cages on said band,- railson; the "cages for receiving wheeled-tubs thereon, ,tWO Wheeled towersplaced oppoexchange placeslon twqopposit'e sides of the mine-shaft,means for periodically moving theeleyatorsand the towers, means forantomatically pushing the empty tubs from .-one of'the towers intothemine hoist-cages and thereby'pusliing the filled tubs from the lattercages into the cages of one ofthe elevator'swhile also pushing-the emptytubs from the latter into' one of the towers, said means being set inoperation by the moveendless periodically-moyed band or chain, a

" ator consist of an end-"' vatoi's-into which the contents of the'eleva:

shaft side: 'y-s'ide ionfone side of the mine ;band railszo'nthe cagesfor, receiving wheeled o opposit'e sides of r P i ymW- yers; -automat icvementp-== ofsthe th minghoist-cages and. edtubs from: the; latl ages:of; one of *the elepn'shing-the emptyatuhs XOO trons n 'cainberS ..withchute- A tQlSdnto-whlchtha xkedath e t t o. a-v

nthe of the mine-'- site eachjother, railed tracks on the- .towers tblhold'tubsi lld tQYbe moved on arail-track. to

ment of theminevhoist-cage downupon the ke ps and-comprising leverpndrod Bounce- :mune to this gfiecification in the presn ce 0 1 tlons from;the; keps to'- 1n1e t and outlet two subscribingwitnesses. g

valves of a, nydrauliu cylinder provided with differential-areapistonh'i wirig its piston-ro'if'l I F R TYF g I 5 (ibmlected to apushing device, substantially? -Witnesses. j I I as set forth. "H.NIXONj,

in testimony whereof I have js igned lily f W. H. NI LIQNQ 'J

